New Indian private airlines are poaching each other's pilots, leading to a high rate of climb for cockpit salaries. This week, a new budget airline, Kingfisher Airlines began services with Airbus 320s stealing some pilots from state-run Indian Airlines. Domestic traffic is increasing at a blistering 20 percent per year and is expected to cross 50 million in five years. Kingfisher is competing with Air Deccan and Spice Air, Go Air, Indigo, Indusone and Air One are starting soon. Jet Airways is seeking permission to import pilots to add to 14 foreigners already flying. Air Deccan has 31 foreign pilots, including three Nepali captains who fly its ATR-72s. Salaries for pilots are now up to IRs 300,000 per month with senior pilots getting as much as IRs 500,000.